Galesburg, IL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Illinois·Galesburg

Knox County · Galesburg · population 29,289

AffordabilityShrinking
Galesburg, IL
Image: Wikipedia · Galesburg, Illinois
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
70
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Galesburg stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 15.0% in the last year. population shrinking 0.6% per year.

Median home $103,132
1-year +15.0%
5-yr CAGR +4.8%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.6%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$103k$63k$78k$93k$107k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
64/100
Workable for remote workers
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
92 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
64 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
35 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
55 · w10%
Long thesis

Galesburg offers a $103,132 median home with +4.8% annualized 5-year appreciation. Affordability + positive trend is one of the better risk/reward setups in US residential — small downside, room to compound.

Short thesis

Galesburg's population is shrinking 0.6% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.

About Galesburg

Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, with an estimated population of 29,289. The population has contracted 0.6% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Galesburg is $103,132 as of 2026-04, up 15.0% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. The composite momentum score is 70 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Trend still working: prices up 15.0% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
●Affordable AND rising: median home $103,132 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

●Flat or shrinking population: -0.6% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Galesburg (Wikipedia)

Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The city is 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Peoria. At the 2020 census, its population was 30,052. Galesburg is the home of Knox College, a private four-year liberal arts college, and Carl Sandburg College, a community college named for native-born poet Carl Sandburg.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Knox County right now.

NWS active alerts (IL)Illinois Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Knox County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Galesburg

Pontiac, IL75 · RisingRiver Forest, IL75 · RisingLa Grange, IL70 · RisingWilmette, IL73 · Rising

Run the numbers for Galesburg

ToolCan I afford Galesburg?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Galesburg rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Galesburg to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolGalesburg cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
33° / 18°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
189
~52% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
22″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Galesburg listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Galesburg area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$78,400
Illinois state median
Top industries (state-level)
FinanceManufacturingHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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